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Province · Mar Negro Oriental
Ordu
Coastal city on the Black Sea, with a cable car to the Boztepe hill, a church and old houses in Taşbaşı, the Yason cape and hazelnuts on the hillsides.
In the photo: Ordu and the Black Sea seen from Boztepe, Ordu
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
The province
Get to know Ordu
Ordu lies on the Eastern Black Sea, between Samsun and Giresun, and is one of Turkey’s largest hazelnut producers. The city stretches along a waterfront with a promenade, parks and beaches, with green slopes right behind.
Boztepe, the hill above the city, is the most visited spot: a cable car leaves the promenade and passes over rooftops up to the top, where there are viewpoints, cafés and picnic areas among pine trees. The hill is also a launch site for paragliding flights.
In the Taşbaşı neighborhood, at the foot of the hill, the Taşbaşı Church, built in 1853 by the Greek Orthodox community, became a cultural center, and the old houses were restored. The Paşaoğlu Mansion, from 1896, houses the ethnographic museum, with objects from the life of a wealthy family at the end of the Ottoman period.
To the west, near Perşembe, the Yason cape (Yason Burnu) is named after Jason, leader of the Argonauts, and has a small church by the sea. Ünye, on the coast, has a castle, and inland the Ulugöl lake and the plateaus of Perşembe and Çambaşı welcome those who climb into the mountains in summer.
When to go
June to September is usually the beach and plateau season, with warm, humid days. The hazelnut harvest takes place in August on the slopes. In October, the forests around Ulugöl lake often gain autumn colors. In winter it rains a lot, and snow appears in the higher areas.
Getting there
Ordu-Giresun Airport (OGU), the first airport in Turkey built on reclaimed land in the sea, is about 18 km from Ordu center, with buses to the city. Along the coastal road there are buses to Samsun, Giresun and Trabzon. Check before buying.
Your questions
Frequently asked questions about Ordu
How to get up to Boztepe?
The cable car departs from the promenade in central Ordu and takes only a few minutes to reach the top of the hill, passing over the rooftops. You can also drive up. At the top there are viewpoints, cafés and picnic areas.
Which airport to use for Ordu?
Ordu-Giresun Airport (OGU), about 18 km from the center, with buses to the city. Samsun-Çarşamba to the west is an alternative.
Does Ordu have a beach?
There are beaches on the city waterfront and along the province’s coast. The swimming season usually runs from June to September.
What is the Yason cape?
It is a small peninsula near Perşembe, west of Ordu, whose name recalls Jason, leader of the Argonauts of Greek mythology. It has a small church by the sea and a protected area.
When is the hazelnut harvest in Ordu?
The harvest usually takes place in August. At that time, hazelnuts are sun-dried in courtyards and by the roadside along the coast.